1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to duck and waterfowl decoys, and more particularly to a decoy having an adjustable keel for varying the orientation and profile of a decoy in a body of water.
2. Background Information
Waterfowl decoys have been used for many years in various applications to attract waterfowl to desired areas. Typically, the user will arrange a collection of decoys in a body of water such as a lake, pond or river for the purpose of attracting live birds to the area. It is the intent of the party using the decoys to mimic the presentation of a group of waterfowl in an area, thus inducing real waterfowl to the area.
Most decoys are comprised of an upper body portion and a lower body portion. The upper portion is shaped and designed to resemble the appearance of a duck, goose, swan or other waterfowl. A bottom portion provides a surface that displaces a quantity of water sufficient to allow the decoy to float. However, flat decoys can be overturned by a strong wind or by the movement of water in a current. This results in the presentation of the decoys wherein the upper body portion is below the water. This is not always a desired orientation or presentation of the decoys.
This problem has been overcome in some applications by the presence of a weighted keel. These keels are aligned with the head and tail of the decoy and are intended to maintain the decoys in a desired floating position, the upper portion of the decoy above the water and the lower portion of the decoy below the water. The attachment of most keels is directed such that when the decoys are placed in a body of water having a current, such as a stream or river, the keel aligns with the direction of the current. In situations where a current of wind is placed upon decoys in a body of water, the keel will align with the direction of the wind. In as much as most keels are aligned in a fixed orientation parallel with an axis formed by the head and tail of a decoy, decoys will align parallel with the direction of the wind or water current.
When a series of prior art decoys are used to simulate a group of waterfowl, all of the waterfowl will align with the current, this results in a less natural and less effective appearance. In a natural habitat, live individual waterfowl often face in various directions with regard to wind or water currents as they take part in their daily activities. Most existing decoys having a fixed parallel keel cannot be oriented or placed in these various directions. On the contrary, when placed in a body of water having a current or when exposed to wind, these decoys will align to form lines parallel to the direction of the current. This configuration appears unnatural and limits the ability of the decoy to attract birds flying overhead.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a duck decoy for use in a body of water having a current. Another object of the invention is to provide a decoy with a non-parallel aligned keel that allows for a more natural configuration and placement of decoys in a natural setting. A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable keel that allows the position of the keel on the decoy to be selected and locked in a desired orientation with regard to the orientation of the decoy.
These objects are achieved using a waterfowl decoy having a selectively adjustable keel. The decoy is made up of a waterfowl shaped upper portion that is adjustably pivotally connected to a keel. The keel has a first end and a second end and is connected to the upper portion of the decoy through an attachment device. The attachment device is configured to allow a party to select a desired orientation of the keel and then to lock this keel in the desired orientation so that a non-parallel orientation between the direction of the keel and the alignment of the head and the tail are maintained. The attachment device has a plurality of predefined locking positions that are configured so as to define a plurality of positions in which the device can be oriented. An anchor is connected to an anchor-connecting portion of the device so that the device is maintained in a desired orientation and location.
When the decoy is placed in a body of water and acted upon by a wind or water current, the keel aligns within the current, and the body of the decoy is maintained in a desired orientation with regard to the orientation of the keel. The non-parallel orientation of the keel and the upper portion of the decoy allow the direction of a plurality of decoys to be varied so as to provide a desired natural looking arrangement of decoys. In a desired situation, various modifications may be included for this device including various modifications of the shape of the keel, the weight of the keel or the manner in which the adjustment device allows a party to adjustably selectively pivot and lock the decoy in a desired orientation. This combination of features allows a party to place a set of a desired number of decoys in a variety of desired orientations such that the presentation of the decoy setting will be natural and lifelike without significant regard to adverse weather or water conditions.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description wherein I have shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.